beam of light
by Cranberry Octopus
Summary: There is one promise in life: Death.  When Sasuke dies, there are few things that are certain.  He is going to die, and he has done wrong; he can only hope that whatever deity up there will be merciful.  Character death.  Sasuke-centric.


__A/N: Most would assume that when Sasuke dies, he'll most certainly be met with the most devious layer of hell or something equal to that. But I like to think that perhaps whatever God is in control in the Naruto universe, that he'll be merciful to the deceived and the damned. Because whatever Sasuke has done, none of it was done intentionally.

_

* * *

"When we live, we give ourselves away; but when we die, we have nothing left because all the pieces are gone."_

- **Bethany Mack**

* * *

He doesn't expect it. His eyes go wide with surprise as the coolness of the blade – he knows it's a blade because the twisting motion looks way too easy to be anything else – turned into a white hot heat of searing pain. Spots appear before his blurry eyes, and he wonders why he's going blind again, when he realizes that the wetness on his cheek is not rain. Sasuke doesn't bother to wipe them away because he is too focused on the spear in his chest, keeping his heart together and breaking it at the same time.

The sound of his knees hitting the ground doesn't register as Sasuke realizes that he was in denial. Did he honestly think that he was going to live forever? All things must come to an end, but Sasuke is sure that his end is going to be later than this.

Yes, this is just a roadblock, a little pebble in the way. Nothing will stop him from –

The gasping sound he hears is his own, but Sasuke continues to be in denial. He continues to think of all the possible way to get out of this. When he finally figures out that there is no way he is getting out of this alive, Sasuke becomes angry with himself. Letting the prospect of _finally_ redeeming his clan get in the way of staying alive long enough to see it happen.

The irony didn't strike him as much as he thinks it should when his attacker portrays a look of remorse, looking almost guilty for what he has done. For killing the boy that has killed too many too count. For giving families closure and villages relief. For taking the life of a child, a poor, confused, and lonely child. In the end, that is exactly what Sasuke is: a child. A foolish, naïve and stupid child. An avenging child given power that he now wishes he never had.

As the spots begin to completely take over his vision, he ponders on what he should be thinking of, who he should be thinking of. This is when Sasuke realizes that he is alone. He killed everything. And for what, to avenge a clan that didn't need avenging? For killing his brother? For not realizing in those last moments what he was really doing.

For not once stopping, and thinking of someone other than himself for a change. After all the things he tries to do to bring back his clan, to redeem them, it is all done in vain. He knows this. And he hates this fact. Everything his brother did for him is in vain. The clan… it was all for nothing.

He is on the ground, he suddenly realizes; he is on the ground, and no one is there to cry over him like before. No one is there to hold his hand. No one is there to tell him that he's forgiven, that it wasn't his fault. That, out of all the possibilities, no one saw this coming. He wishes that he had more time. He wishes that whoever is up there will listen to his mutterings just begging for another chance.

There is no answer, and Sasuke figures as much. He has done far too much evil to even break a deal with God, let alone attempt to receive one.

And, on the ground, Sasuke lets out a loud, penetrating sob of anguish and pain and anything and everything he ever felt. He lets another out. And another, and another. Another. And more and more and more and – _why_? Why did it have to be like this?

Why did he have to be so stupid?

Why did it take a knife in his chest to bring him back to reality?

In another moment, Sasuke is angry at his brother because Itachi knew that this was going to happen, yet he still continued on with the charade in hopes that he will live. Well, he's not going to live, now is he? In fact, he doesn't think that he'll make the next ten seconds.

As the imaginary count down in his head begins, Sasuke decides that now is as good as ever to think of the people who love him the most. Itachi – the perfect specimen, the boy who can do no wrong, even in his death, he is the perfect brother. So why did such perfection have to die for him? What made him so special? Why didn't he just slaughter him along with the others?

Love. Above all else, it was just love for a_ brother_.

It seems that the string of fate which held them together was tugging on his end, finally taking him home.

Naruto – that idiot causes more trouble than he's worth. Sasuke knew that he should have killed him when he got the chance. He should have just broken his neck when he got close enough. Sasuke knew that there were plenty chances. So why didn't he just end it? Truthfully, Sasuke always liked a chase, a battle, a chance to have a good fight. And Naruto had always provided that, no matter what the situation. Sasuke supposes that perhaps the blond was right. They really were best friends.

Kakashi – he reminds him so much of someone he desperately wishes that he still has. The man favored him above his two other students; he taught Sasuke things that the others can't possibly dream of even trying to do. It was Kakashi's first mistake with Sasuke, giving him the ability to think that he was somehow better than everyone else. That he was special. But, _oh_, Sasuke was just too special for his own good.

Sakura – all the things he did to her. The way he led on her to make sure he could escape. He's so sorry, so very sorry. Sasuke thinks that a sword in his heart is very appropriate since he refused to believe that it was there until someone decided to shove a katana into his chest. His only regret is not letting Sakura do the deed herself.

The sword is pulled from his chest and Sasuke knows – he just _knows_ – that it's over. And as a huge wave of simultaneous regret and relief washes over him, he just wishes that he could have given his team, his family, what they really deserved.

It's only a few more seconds and his time on Earth is done. He wishes that he could at least get a tomato or something. Maybe even a hand to hold, but nothing comes so Sasuke waits for death to finally take him away. A shudder of breath, heart no longer trying and brain shutting down. As a last resort, Sasuke offers a smile up to whoever's watching; the signal to leave.

His big, dramatic exit.

Birds chirp, a leaf falls and the world (his world) is at peace.

* * *

Suddenly, it's ridiculously bright. Sasuke sits up. The sword is gone; the wound is closed with just a tiny scar in place of it. But he is not in the same place as before.

A gate is in front of him. No one is there to watch it, and Sasuke thinks that this is irresponsible of that person to leave a gate unattended like that. Then it opens and green, hills of green are before him. And at the very edge of that green, there is a figure in the distance.

The boy, Sasuke notices, turns around with one eye closed – the opposite of Kakashi's – and Sasuke knows. He nods in greeting and the boy grins back. And for a moment, a part of him aches because it was so familiar. This must be hell, meeting people who don't know who remind you of your friends.

"Obito." He supplies.

Sasuke feigns confusion. "You know Kakashi."

"Yes," the boy answers him, "it's partly my fault that you're like this."

"No."

The Uchiha looks up at him from the ground with a smile. "_No_?" he repeats. Hell, Sasuke confirms, was the only explanation for this nonsense.

"No." he answers again, becoming irritated by the familiar grin. It's just like –

"Go." He says suddenly, "They're waiting for you."

Sasuke nearly has the gall to ask who, so he does. "Who?" he asks a second time after noticing that the boy wasn't paying attention to him anymore.

The boy's face breaks into a full blown grin and points somewhere behind Sasuke. "Who do you think, Sasuke?"

The male turned around to see just who was waiting for him. It's Sakura, who is tugging Sai by the hand, laughing at something he says while Kakashi trailed behind them, mask gone and a smile upon his face. Yamato is also trailing behind Kakashi, quietly talking with the first Hokage.

Shisui trips over his uncle's put out foot, and they're all laughing with Sasuke's parents. His mother, his dear, sweet mother is alive and laughing.

They're all happy.

Then there's Naruto with two people that Sasuke has never seen before in his very short life. The woman somehow feels familiar; she reminds him of someone he left behind. The man, who has a striking resemblance to Naruto, laughs at the woman's childish antics and pulls her into an embrace. Naruto laughs in his obnoxious way before a very large man with an octopus comes toward him and starts rapping.

There is still a slight possibility that Sasuke is in hell.

A Hyuuga and a brunette look at each other and smile serenely at their teammate's antics. Two blondes are smiling and laughing at a red-head and brunette's poor excuse for a wrestling match while a dark-haired male referees the fight and subtly sneaks a peak toward one of the blondes. Beside him, a very large male is happily chatting with what Sasuke supposes could be the boy's father.

They were all here. Except for one person.

Where is he?

"Otouto." A voice speaks from behind him, and it's all Sasuke really needs to hear to know that, yes, this is heaven. Itachi smiles at his little brother. This was all worth it.

As his two teammates approach him and tackle him to the ground in an attempt to hug him, Sasuke realizes that he must have done one good deed in his life to earn this moment. Sakura giggles at Naruto and kisses Sasuke's forehead. "Annoying." The pinkette remains unfazed by this and plants another kiss on his forehead, just to spite him.

"Welcome home, Sasuke." Itachi says from above.

"Welcome home, aniki."

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A/N: I hope you enjoyed it. :) Reviews are always appreciated.


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